Activities of Nadja HIRSCH related to 2012/2131(INI)
Plenary speeches (3)
Integration of migrants, its effects on the labour market and the external dimension of social security coordination (A7-0040/2013 - Nadja Hirsch) (vote)
Integration of migrants, its effects on the labour market and the external dimension of social security coordination (debate)
Integration of migrants, its effects on the labour market and the external dimension of social security coordination (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the integration of migrants, its effects on the labour market and the external dimension of social security coordination PDF (284 KB) DOC (227 KB)
Amendments (54)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Recital -1 a (new)
Recital -1 a (new)
-1a. In 2011, 48.9 million people resident in the 27 Member States had been born abroad (9.7% of the total EU population), 16.5 million coming from another EU Member State (3.3%) and 32.4 million from a third country (6.4%);
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Mutual commitment to integration can only obtain the widest possible support within society if it can be successfully mainstreamed and if Member States discuss the issue actively and openly with the public and offer credible ways of meeting the challenges currently presented by it.
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. When discussing new immigration, it is not sufficientn addition to referring to a shortage of labour in the EU and an ageing European population. I, it is also necessary to ascertain the maximum absorption capacity of the EU Member States for new immigration. In many Member States, particularly in Western Europe, that capacity has already long since been exceeded. Moreover, the first priority should be to seek to find employment for the foreigners already present, rather than allowing new immigrants to swell their rankscrucial to improve the labour market participation for the working population at large, including immigrants already present.
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
(1) 1. The impacts of demographic changes in Europe will increase over the coming decades, with an ageing population, longer life expectancies, and a declining work age population. With the need for increasing migration, inclusive and effective integration policies are essential.
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Stresses the commitments made with regards to the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; underlines, in this context, the potential benefits of improved integration of migrants into the labour markets in a number of areas;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. The Commission proposal to introduce an Immigration Code giving legal immigrants a uniform legal status is to be welcomed.
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. EU instruments to date for the formulation of integration policies, for example the network of National Contact Points on Integration, the European integration website, the European Handbook on Integration, the European Integration Fund, the Asylum and Migration Fund, the EU immigration portal and the European integration modules, are to be welcomed;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Integration is launched most effectively in local communities and therefore requires EU support for the creation of an integration network of local and regional authorities involving all civil society bodies operating at grassroots level in accordance with the ‘bottom-up’ principle and possibly following the examples set by the CLIP, ERLAIM, ROUTES, City2City und EUROCITIES projects; stresses that towns and cities have a major role to play in this respect and deserve particular support;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas Eurobarometer surveys show that 70% of EU citizens think that immigrants are necessary for the European economy;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the demand for skilled workers is rising and will rise at a faster rate than for less-skilled workers;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. It is necessary to distinguish clearly between legal and illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants voluntarily opt to ignore the law, and should therefore be identified and deported. Any attempt to argue in favour of supporting and regularising illegal migrants undermines democratic acceptance of the presence of migrants in the EUWell-functioning immigration procedures that discourage taking recourse to illegal routes of migration are therefore needed.
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas red tape, the failure to recognise qualifications and the lack of opportunities to develop skills mean that the skills mismatch and associated brain loss is higher among immigrants than nationals;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Observes, with reference to Directives 2008/115/EC and 2009/52/EC, that illegal labour migration can be reduced not only by means of effective monitoring but also by making opportunities for legal immigration available more effectively;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Emphasises that, in order to ensure successful integration of migrants, the implementation of anti-discrimination laws must be ensured and any breaches must be sanctioned. In this context, it is of particular importance that no discrimination is tolerated on the basis of origin or religion.
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Recalls that integration is a continuous two way process requiring the involvement of both third country nationals and the host society. Welcomes the many good practice examples, across the EU, of the integration of migrants, asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection, often through projects carried out by local authorities, who play a key role in delivering on integration objectives.
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas the employment rate for third-country nationals between the ages of 20 and 64 is on average 10% lower than the corresponding rate for nationals across the EU;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L b (new)
Recital L b (new)
Lb. whereas migrant women are more often affected by unemployment, low- wage jobs and skills mismatch;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Recalls the EU's Common basic Principles on Immigrants Integration (CBPs). Regrets that Member States are not currently using the European Integration Fund to its full potential, and recalls that the aim of the fund is to support Member State's actions to implement the CBPs.
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L c (new)
Recital L c (new)
Lc. whereas migrants are increasingly opting for self-employment to find their way into the labour market, but in so doing are also more often experiencing financial difficulties;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L d (new)
Recital L d (new)
Ld. whereas a large proportion of the foreign students in the EU do not work in the EU after completing their studies;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L e (new)
Recital L e (new)
Le. whereas foreigners suffer more often from social exclusion, racism and discrimination, thereby impeding their integration into the labour market;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4 d. Deplores the desperate situation of undocumented migrants and failed asylum seekers in the EU, many of whom are destitute, and calls for solutions to be found, in full respect of the fundamental rights of those concerned. Notes that undocumented migrants have very few prospects for integration and that opening up channels for regularisation would improve integration prospects.
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Emphasises that integration into the labour market and into society requires commitment on both sides, especially in relation to language learning and familiarity with the law, political system, customs and usage and patterns of social interaction in the host country; points out that educational institutions, religious and social organisations, sporting and cultural associations, the armed forces, the social partners and businesses bear a particular social responsibility in this context;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 f (new)
Paragraph 4 f (new)
4 f. Regrets recent changes to the 'right to nationality at birth' legislation in some Member States which is increasing cases of statelessness in the EU.
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 g (new)
Paragraph 4 g (new)
4 g. Recalls the important role of the mass media in shaping public opinion on immigration and integration, and calls for responsible journalism to foster mutual respect and understanding of each others similarities and differences.
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 h (new)
Paragraph 4 h (new)
4 h. Welcomes the establishment of the European Integration Forum which provides a platform for civil society to discuss challenges and priorities on migrant integration issues. Would welcome stronger links between the forum and the ongoing political and legislative process at the EU level.
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that the Member States’ integration policies and measures must be better differentiated and tailored and of higher quality and, most importantly, that they must thus draw distinctions, for example, between the well qualified and the poorly qualified, between EU citizens and third-country nationals and between migrants with and without offers of employment, language skills or family ties in the host country;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the work of the European Integration Forum;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Member States to get together in identifying countries in the longer term that are forecasting an excess of births over deaths and have the capacity to actively promote emigration, and to then set up a structure of language learning, chambers of foreign trade and study opportunities in these countries;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Draws attention to the special role played in integration by migrant women, who do not just offer great potential for the labour market and often have an important role to play in educating children and conveying standards and values, but also because they are the ones most frequently affected by discrimination and violence;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Calls on the Member States to provide information on their education systems and associated rights and obligations in as many languages as possible;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Member States to facilitateinform foreign students’ about work opportunities after graduation and to facilitate their access to their labour markets because people who have lived and completed their studies in a country and have mastered its language are thus already integrated; points out, moreover, that it makes no economic sense for the EU that resources invested in university graduates should be wasted because they cannot find jobs in the Union;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls on the Member States to develop and invest in services for the reintegration of EU migrants who were unsuccessful in their search for work and have therefore returned to their home country;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Member States to firmly combat discrimination against third country nationals and other EU citizens, particularly in job-seeking and at the workplace; takes the view that firm action should be taken to counteract discrimination and racism in the wake of the economic and financial crisis and the accompanying higher unemployment figures;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Notes that labour-market-oriented immigration can have positive effects on the social security systems of the Member States;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Stresses that learning the language of the host country forms the basis for success in the service-oriented European labour market; further stresses that Member States must ensure that sufficient language learning opportunities are available, so that language barriers in the world of work cease to be an obstacle, and welcomes businesses’ own initiatives in this area;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Welcomes the financial support that the EU has given so far for migration management in third countries, e.g. Migration EU expertise II (MIEUX II);
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Calls, in the funding of European projects, for the greatest possible synergies to develop between the ESF and the LMF;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Calls in this connection on the Member States to provide migrants with better information on opportunities and challenges, on European and national subsidies, and on organisations and bodies providing assistance, in the field of self-employment;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)
Paragraph 16 e (new)
16e. Supports the Commission in its plan to declare 2015 as the European Year of Integration, but urges it to focus in particular on ‘Integration through Work’ and calls on it to fill the Year of Integration with concrete legislative texts and benchmarks for the Member States;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Welcomes in this connection the Commission’ proposal to establish a European platform for dialogue on labour migration management;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Stresses the importance, in circular migration, of focusing on the individual and on ensuring that his acquired knowledge and skills can be put to use on his return;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Welcomes particularly in this connection plans to introduce Migration and Mobility Resource Centres (MMRCs) in the partner countries under the Mobility Partnership and Common Agendas, and urges that the concept of such centres also be offered to third countries;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Stresses the need to make circular migration programmes flexible and to take into account Article 8 of the ECHR and Directives 2003/109/EG and 2003/86/EG;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes the existing EU agreements on social security coordination with Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Israel and the ongoing negotiations towards similar agreements with Montenegro, San Marino, Albania and Turkey;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Welcomes the Commission proposal to establish an EU mechanism for the exchange of best practice and information on social security coordination; proposes that existing bilateral national agreements be collected, processed and made available in a transparent manner by the Commission;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Welcomes in this connection the extended scope of the rules for third country nationals contained in Directive 2009/50/EC (the Blue Card Directive) and calls on the Commission to evaluate the implementation of the directive and its impact on the labour market;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Calls therefore for the External Dimension of EU Social Security Coordination to be included as an important item in the EU’s external relations and negotiations with third countries;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Welcomes the creation of the European Health Insurance Card and urges that its use be further extended and simplified;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Proposes that immigrants should be provided straight away on arrival with information on their legal position on return; calls for the MISSOC system to be used for this purpose;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Welcomes the adoption of the Single Permit Directive which allows for the portability of pensions for third-country nationals and their survivors in accordance with the Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004; calls on the current and upcoming EU Presidencies, together with the European Commission, to relaunch negotiations on the proposal for a Directive on portability of supplementary pension rights;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30b. Stresses that the EU plays a pioneering role in the external dimension of social security coordination and is in a position to set global standards;